Chico man sentenced to state prison for June vehicle theft, pursuit

OROVILLE &GT;&GT; A Chico man was sentenced to four years, eight months in state prison for two incidents involving two stolen vehicles and a police pursuit.

Defendant Johnny Winston Maroney, 24, was given the upper-term sentence Thursday for felony counts of evading an officer with disregard for public safety and vehicle theft. His sentence included an additional year due to a prior conviction.

He had faced additional counts of vehicle theft and receiving stolen property as well as allegations of a prior strike and prison terms, but they were dismissed when he changed his plea July 10 in Butte County Superior Court.

Chico police officers were in a patrol vehicle when they saw a white, four-door Dodge pickup turn into an apartment parking lot on the 1100 block of West Sacramento Avenue early on June 17, according to deputy district attorney Michael Sawyer. The vehicle had been stolen that morning, but the theft wasn't yet reported to police.

One of the officers recognized the driver as Maroney and knew the defendant was on parole. The officers entered the parking lot to perform a parole compliance check.

When an officer got out of the car and told Maroney to stop, the defendant rapidly accelerated past the police vehicle and headed west on West Sacramento.

Sawyer said Maroney reached speeds of 70 mph and failed to stop at a red light and two stop signs. The defendant also passed two vehicles while over the double yellow center line.

Officers disengaged the pursuit for public safety reasons and lost sight of Maroney.

About 15 minutes later, a maintenance worker reported seeing the pickup speed into a parking lot on the 1500 block of North Cherry Street. He saw a man and woman exit the vehicle, throw items in a trash bin and run away.

Late the following day, Butte County sheriff's deputies were on patrol and saw a man and a woman in a light blue Honda Accord. Deputies learned the vehicle had been reported stolen that day in Paradise.

Deputies saw Maroney exit a residence on the 2200 block of Mulberry Street. After arresting the defendant, Maroney told officers that he had stolen the Honda earlier that day.

During Thursday's sentencing, Sawyer sought the upper-term sentence. He told Judge Michael Candela that Maroney didn't admit to the thefts in a pre-sentencing interview with the Probation Department. The defendant also denied being in the police pursuit, telling a probation officer that a lot of people in Chico look like him.

Defense attorney Robert Radcliffe sought a middle-term sentence. He said the defendant had changed his plea early in the case. Radcliffe also said no people were known to be at risk during the pursuit and the acts didn't show any sophistication.

Judge Candela acknowledged Maroney changed his plea early, but the defendant benefitted from having additional charges and allegations dismissed.

The judge didn't find any mitigating factors. He said aggravating factors included the defendant's prior criminal behavior and that the current acts showed some sophistication.

Maroney was given 101 days of custody credits. He may be eligible for release in October 2016.